LA Council Shake-Up Fuels 'Political Punishment' Claim From Bass Challenger Raman

LOS ANGELES, CA — The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved a plan to restructure committees overseeing a range of government functions, with one member describing the action as "political punishment."

The council voted 13-1 Tuesday in support of Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson's motion. As leader of the 15-member council, Harris-Dawson has the authority under municipal code to create and rescind committees, and to appoint or remove members.

Harris-Dawson has yet to announce committee assignments, with the motion expected to take effect Aug. 31.

Under the motion, the Housing and Homelessness Committee will be split into the Homelessness and Health Committee, and the Housing Committee.

Additionally, the following committees will be altered:

• The Arts, Parks, Libraries and Community Enrichment Committee will be known as the Arts, Parks and City Facilities Committee;
• The Civil Rights, Equity, Immigration, Aging and Disability Committee will be known as the Civil Rights, Immigration, Social Services and Neighborhoods Committee;
• Two new committees will be created: The Ad Hoc Committee for Charter Review and the Ad Hoc Committee for Boyle Heights Fire Recovery.

Rob Quan, an organizer with the group Unrig LA, criticized the council's action.

"This ship is doomed. Why are we rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? Let's get a new captain," Quan said.

"At a basic level, I don't know why we're splitting up housing and homelessness. There is so much interrelationship between them. If we're not trying to house the homeless, then maybe that makes sense. But last time I checked, we were supposed to be. This just creates new hurdles," he added.

In addition to the new ad hoc committees, the motion continues special committees for unarmed crisis prevention, intervention and community services; Olympic and Paralympic Games planning; recovery of Pacific Palisades from the January 2025 fire; and a group supporting the film, entertainment and creative industry.

Councilman Curren Price was absent during the meeting, with Councilwoman Nithya Raman opposing the item. There was no discussion on the matter.

Raman, who is challenging Mayor Karen Bass in the November election, released a campaign video Monday, calling her pending removal as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee "politically motivated."

"I called for an audit of our homelessness programs in Los Angeles, and now I've been removed as chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee," Raman said in the 90-second video. "I might be getting punished for running against Mayor Bass, but Angelenos are the ones paying the price for these political games."

Harris-Dawson is a close ally of Bass. A representative for his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The council president told NBC4 that "It's hardly a punishment."

"It's something to make the council functional and to put the council in the position to answer some very key questions between now and election regarding homelessness," he said.

He added that it was "very, very disappointing to see her (Raman) reach to the bottom of the barrel politically and to use something that she knew would happen."

Harris-Dawson argued that if his decision was in fact retaliation, it would have been done in February, when Raman announced her candidacy for mayor.

Bass' campaign criticized Raman for her record on homelessness and housing as the committee's chair.

"Nithya Raman canceled committee meetings for weeks, didn't show up to votes, and failed to deliver on building more housing or getting people off the streets," Alex Stack, a campaign spokesman for Bass, said in a statement.

In a statement to City News Service, Raman said it was an honor to chair the Housing and Homelessness Committee during a time of real challenge and turbulence. She has led the committee since 2023.

Raman said that under her leadership, the city passed the strongest protections for renters in 40 years with the Just Cause eviction protections, and lowered rent increases in rent-stabilized units.

Raman also said the city established an office for oversight over homelessness dollars backed by clear performance data during her tenure. The city has used such data to better occupy shelter beds and permanent housing units.

"In my own district, we used these powerful tools to cut street homelessness by nearly 50% in one year," Raman said in her statement. "While there is much more work to do to fix a very broken system, I am so proud of the work I was able to do as chair."

"Housing affordability and homelessness are among the most urgent challenges facing Los Angeles and they demand committed leadership. It is my hope that the Council will not allow political considerations to prevent us from making the progress that Angelenos deserve," Raman's statement concluded.

In July, the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count showed that homelessness increased by 3.4% in the city to an estimated 45,194. It was the first increase in homelessness following two straight years of decreases, according to data collected by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

By Jose Herrera, City News Service